Owners hurt by parking crackdown

BUDERIM retailers are feeling the pinch of a Sunshine Coast Council clampdown on parking infringements.

Council parking inspectors were out in force in recent weeks at The Hub shopping precinct at Burnett St, booking motorists for parking longer than the two-hour limit.

Overstaying earns a $100 fine. That penalty is now standard across the Sunshine Coast as part of the council's new suite of local laws. The fine applies to anyone who exceeds any of the indicated parking limit.

Buderim business owners say they fear the hefty fines could jeopardise the appeal of the village shopping.

The Hub has 37 car parks for 18 businesses. Owners say there are no designated staff parks.

Linda's Beauty on Buderim owner Linda McNaughton said she was ready to move her business to a new location on Burnett St in search of adequate parking for her customers.

"I have my clients parking at Woolworths and walking, even my 90-year-old clients, it's just disgusting," Ms McNaughton said, adding that she had seen witnessed the parking fines increase from $20 to $100 in a matter of months.

She had already been slugged with a $100 fine and so had staff members.

"We are going to appeal the fines, there's just nowhere to park within normal parking distance, carrying all the things I need to work," she said.

"It is good being in the village but from my point of view, I'm just over it and over my customers having to walk so far for their appointments - it's one of the bug bears of Buderim. Businesses have suffered a lot in Buderim because of the parking. The time has come where something needs to be done."

Purr-dantik owner Julie Garner said on most days she moved her car every two hours. "Buderim is really quiet at the moment, it's a quiet time in retail," Ms Garner said.

"We pay our electricity, rent and other expenses and on top of that we are paying these fines from just parking outside our own businesses.

"Last year it was even more quiet and they were still fining us, it's just ridiculous."

Buderim resident Frank van Mourik said he was shocked in early February to see a $100 fine notice on his windscreen at The Hub complex.

Mr van Mourik was entertaining overseas visitors when he was issued the fine.

"A lot of people probably don't realise this is a two-hour parking zone, let alone policed," he said.

"When I saw the fine on the ticket I was just amazed and embarrassed, I had my visitors with me and my wife and they couldn't believe it. The penalty issued is way in excess of the crime." Mr van Mourik suggested clearer signage would help indicate to drivers they were leaving and entering a two-hour zone.

Buderim Positive Business president Nicole Sylvester said the lack of parking in the Buderim CBD was not only an inconvenience for shoppers, but a safety concern for staff.

"Businesses are doing it tough anyway," she said. "Just back off a little bit and let us get back into things." and let us creativity," Ms Sylvester said.

"It is costing businesses money and is disruptive to the working day when staff have to run out every two hours and move their car. Staff also shouldn't have to walk long distances to their car in the dark.

"Customers will become turned off spending the day at the village and it will ruin the customer experience if there is no where for them to park.

"If parking is not easy, then clients will think twice about going to the place."

"Sometimes you need to just back off and let businesses get back on track."

A Sunshine Coast Council spokesman said the fine for Caloundra in a timed metered space was $50.

However the difference was due to the fact that in Caloundra the motorist had already paid to park in the space and the offence was failing to pay the parking fee, not actually overstaying the timed parking.

In the Caloundra area outside of metered spaces, the $100 fine applied to breaches of the time limit.